Choker trap



Dec. 19, 1950 J. u. LEHN 2,534,358

CHOKER TRAP Filed Nov. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1950 u. LEHN 2,534,358

CHOKER TRAP Filed Nov. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet? r 7 l1? W llm Nil INVENTOR.

(/0 HN U. L EHIV A 7'TORNE).

Patented Dec. 19, 1950 'CHQKER TRAP John-U. Lehn, Lititz, Pa, assignortoAnimal Trap Company of America, Lititz, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania} Application November22, 1946, Serial No. 711,591

The present invention relates to an improved trap.forrodents such as mice, ratsand other small animals;

The traps heretofore made, have-in many cases, been subject tocertain disadvantages.v among which isthe. difiicultyin setting the. trap. The trap-is oftenused byhousewiveswho are generally unfamiliar with mechanical ,devicesand thus have considerable difiiculty in manipulating the setting mechanism without pinching'their fingersr While automatically latching traps have been. made, av certain mechanical dexterity is necessary iii-setting the trap,= especiallyif ithas been upturned and. the. self. adjusting parts have fallen out; of position. Insome cases, to such peoplethe array of springsand leversisso dis-1 concerting as to result in: the noneuseof the trap- Further, if such a trapisusediand an animal is caught therein; the housewife dislikes to remove the. deadanima'l-ifromithe trap; Other disadvantages are that the mechanismofsuch traps is unsightly and is a collector. of dust which isremoved with difiiculty, and that. moisture eas.-. ily reaches the metallic partscausing corrosion which often interferes withtheproper operation of'the mechanism.

It is an object. of the present invention toproe vide atrap which is completely-safe andeasyto operate. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a trap of economical construction in which all of the parts thereof are protected against dust. moisture and the like;

In accordance with the invention, a trap is. pro? videdwhich. is automatically setlmerely by ace tuating-a setting device onth'e outsideof ahous-I ingforthetrap. The gripping device iscompletely enclosed in the housing which also acts as the main irameof the trap. Openings are provided 'in the housing-for the-entry 'ofthehead and a portion of the-body ofthe animalto be trapped' The trapmay be set; for example; by pressing a-push button ontheexte'rio r of the housing." A trapped-animal may be released from the trap by pressing the setting button and shak ing the animal free of the trap whichiis then u mat a y, reset heire m i ate? multiple form with a'plurality of openings spaced around the wall of the .hpusing. In such an em.- bodiment, meansare provided for baiting all units of the trapfrom a central point which is easily c ss le b emo a cov r m a a r cess in which; the baitis inserted without at tachin'g it to mechanism of any sort.

other bj cts. ans. ad an aee w l. e ome. am

parent from the following description of trap 2-- embodyingtheinvention togetherwith the accompanying drawings, inwhich: V

Fig. 1 is a. top viewof a trap embodying the invention.

Fig. 2-is-a; side. elevational view of the. trap showing an opening in the side thereof 2 for. the entryof an animal.

Fig. 3 is a top view corresponding to, Fig. 1 with the housing cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view takenalong the line lu -4 of-Ffig. 3. v

Fig. 5 isa bottomplan viewof the trapshow ing the mechanism in the set. position and with the bottomremoved. A

Fig. 6 is a viewpartlyinsection taken along the 1ine-66 of Fig. 3 showing the releasing. trig.- ger of the trap.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sideviewsof theunitmeche anism. h

Figs. 8 and9 are front views showingmodifications of the releasing trigger.

Fig 10 is a side view of a modified/form of latch.

Fig. 11 is an end-view of the latch shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a sectional viewv taken. along the line I2--l2 of. Fig. 13 showing a modifiedform of the housing.

Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of the modified form of the housing shown in section in Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a. multiple trap I in accordance with the invention comprising. a housing 2, gripping mechanism. 3, a setting buttonA; and abait receptacle 5.

The housing l forms the supporting and enclosingv frame for the trap and may be made of any suitablematerial such as wood, plastic or metal. Thehousing as shown is, made with a flat bottomdof octagonshape, a cover. 1 of-the same shape andside walls 8. The diameter, ofthe bottom is large compared with theheight of the trap producing a construction stable. in the upright position. Openings 9 for the entry of ammals-to be. trapped. are provided in four of the diametricallyopposite,side walls. The openings are positioned slightly below the center of the side walland are of av diameter depending upon the size. of the animal for which the trap is to be used. Theside walls, cover, and bottom-of thetrap are supported in a framework by means of triangularly shaped blocks H] which are positioned behind the alternate'diametrically opposite side walls. The. spaces between the blocks Ill. form four rectangularly shaped chambers 13, entry to the chambers being by the "openings 9.

A gripping mechanism 3 is furnished for each of the chambers IS. The mechanism is comprised of a base plate !4, a gripping jaw i5, latching means it, releasing trigger ll, actuating springs 58 and [8a, and a latch returning spring [9. The base plate M is made of a thin rectangularly shaped piece of metal. Adjacent one end thereof the base plate is punched to provide downwardly extending lugs and which are punched to provide a mounting for pivot bar 22 on which is mounted main actuating springs l8 and Isa, releasing trigger I! and gripping jaw !5. The other end of the base plate it is perforated to provide downwardly extending projections 23 and 24 which are likewise punched to provide a mounting for pivot bar 25. Mounted on pivot bar 25 is latch l6 and latch returning spring l9. Gripping jaw I5 is provided with an extension 25 adapted to be actuated by the setting button t. The gripping jaw and extension 26 may be formed of one continuous piece of wire which may be looped at 2! and 28 for pivotal mounting on pivot bar 22. The ends or the wire are held together by a clamping member 29 having two holes therein approximately the ,5

same size as the wire. The wire is inserted in the holes, the block then being pinched to grip the ends of the wire. Actuating springs I8 and lfia have ends 3! and 3m pressing against base plate Hi, the other ends 32 and 32a being bent around the gripping jaw I5. The springs tend to urge the gripping jaw downwardly so that the animal which is trapped is gripped between the inside of flat bottom 5 of the trap and gripping jaw l5. Latch i5 is made with a short 33 and a comparatively longer arm 35, the short arm 33 being provided with a notch 35 adapted to engage the gripping jaw !5 when the jaw is in the set position. The latch returning spring 19 has one end 36 engagin base plate M while the opposite end 31 engages the long end 34 of the latch l6, tending to urge the long end of the latch arm upwardly against the bottom of base plate l4. Releasing trigger I! has a downwardly depending actuating arm 39 which is split adjacent the end thereof into two portions 49 and 4! to provide a somewhat wider trigger arm for engagement with the body of the animal. The releasing trigger may take other forms as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 at He and iii). In these forms the trigger portions have been substituted by the treadle having the center spaces Ma and 40b punched to provide openings for the animal to try to enter. The releasing trigger it is pivoted on the pivot 22 and is provided at its upper end with a short trigger arm 42 (Figures 4, 5 and '7) having a depression 43 to engage the long arm 34 of the latch 6. The gripping mechanism 3 is made as a unit and is positioned in the trap with the mechanism facing downwardly supported at the edges by recessed portions 44 of triangularly shaped blocks It.

The setting button 3 and bait receptacle 5 are supported in a cylindrical member 45 having a shoulder 45a seated against the flat bottom 6, access to the bait chamber being provided through an opening it in the fiat bottom. The cylindrical member has four upwardly projecting guide arms 4'! adapted slidably to engage projecting ears 48 of the button i. A flat spring retainer 50 is adapted to be positioned within the cylindrical member 6. The spring retainer 50 has projecting cars of a size to fit between upwardly projecting guide arms 41 (Figs. 3 and 4). In the center of the spring retainer is an upwardly extending spring guide 52 over which is placed a coiled spring 53 adapted to return setting button 4 to the upward position, the guide arms 41 guiding the travel of the button as it is depressed and released. A bait cap 54 is adapted to be received in the bottom of cylindrical member 46. The bait cap has a chamber portion 55 adapted to receive the bait. The spring retainer fits loosely within the cylindrical member and thus the odor of the bait easily travels around the retainer and between upwardly projecting guide arms 4'! to the main trap chamber l3. Moreover, if desired, an excess amount of bait may be placed in bait cap 54 raising the spring retainer 58 thus placing the bait closer to chamber l3.

In operating the trap, bait is placed within bait cap 54 which is frictionally held in position within cylindrical member 46. The trap is then set by pushing or stepping on setting button 4 causing projecting button ears 8 to contact setting extensions 26 of gripping jaws i5 forcing the jaws upwardly into notches 35 of the latch arms l6. The upward movement of the gripping jaws in the notches moves the short latch arms 33 and thus also moves the long latch arms 34 which become latched under the bottom sides of short trigger arms 42 thereby holding the gripping jaws in position. It should be noted that by pushing the setting button all traps are simultaneously set. The animal attempting to get at the bait in the bait cap 54 trips the trap when its head or body contacts end it or M of the trigger arm, releasing latch it which in turn releases gripping jaw l5 holding the animal against the inside of flat bottom 6. In order to release the animal, setting button 4 is depressed moving gripping jaw i5 upwardly where it is latched in the set position releasing the animal which may be then easily shaken loose from the trap.

Fig. 10 shows another form of the latch 5a which may be used in the gripping mechanism 3 in which the latch has been furnished with a weight till frictionally retained in a hole 5! punched in the latch arm 33. The weight 60 causes the latch to automatically fall into the proper position for engaging the gripping jaw 15 and eliminates the need for latch returning spring Hi.

In Figs. 12 and 13 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1-6 with the addition of EEG. In Figs. 12 and 13 there is shown a housing it! which is molded from plastic or similar material. The base I06 and sidewalls 198 are molded in one piece and the cover H3! is molded as a separate piece. Any conventional means such as tongue and notch means may be used to attach the cover portion to the base. The cylindrical member M5 is molded for supporting the setting button 4 and for the bait chamber 54 with the base E06 as are the partitions I Iii which are adapted to divide the base into compartments H3 and to support the gripping mechanism. This construction is advantageous in that it permits the forming of the housing in a modernized stream line design. In order to save material the base 585 may be molded with the bottom open. Bars Iiil are provided in the base 265 to form a gripping surface for the gripping jaw l5. This construction is advantageous in that it is somewhat easier to remove the trapped animals, and further, in that it makes it easier to adjust the mechanism if necessary.

Thus it will be seen that a trap has been provided which is completely safe to operate even by persons wholly unfamiliar with mechanical devices and in which a novel construction is utilized which may be made at a low cost. All mechanical parts of the trap are enclosed, protecting them against dust and moisture and rendering the trap safer and of neater appearance. While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the form of the invention set out above, should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An animal trap comprising a housing having side walls with a plurality of openings therein for the entry of animals, gripping jaws mounted within the housing in alignment with each opening, said gripping jaws having extensions thereon, spring means for actuating said gripping jaws, latching means, releasing means adapted to coact with said latching means to provide automatic setting mechanisms, and push button means extending from said housing adapted to engage with said extensions of said gripping jaws to move the jaws into the set position of the trap.

2. An animal trap comprising a housing having side walls with a plurality of openings therein for the entry of animals, a gripping jaw mounted within the housing at each opening, said gripping jaws having extensions thereon, trap setting means extending through said housing to operatively engage said extensions and move said gripping jaws into set position, spring actuating means for said gripping jaws, latching means including pivoted arms normally urged toward the trip position, and releasing means normally urged toward the set position, said gripping jaws being adapted to engage with said latching means to cause said latching means to by-pas said releasing means and become latched thereby.

3. An animal trap comprising a housing having side walls with a plurality of openings therein for the entry of animals, animal gripping means associated with each of said openings, spring means for urging said gripping means from set to sprung position, latching means for releasably holding said gripping means in set position, setting means acting simultaneously on all of said gripping means to move them from sprung to set position, and animal actuated means for individually releasing said gripping means.

4. An animal trap comprising a housing, a pivoted spring actuated jaw within the housing, a releasing trigger pivoted within the housing and constructed normally to assume a set position under the urge of gravity, a latch pivoted within the housing and resiliently urged to assume a tripped position, said latch having a notched end adapted to receive said jaw and said latch having a trigger engaging arm, said latch being movable by said jaw when the trap is set to tilt said trigger and to be releasably retained thereby, and means extending into said housing to move said jaw into the set position. v

5, An animal trap comprising a housing having a flat bottom surface and having an opening in the side wall thereof, a pivotally mounted jaw in said housing above said opening, a spring for said jaw adapted to actuate said jaw downwardly past said opening and against said bottom of the housing, setting means including latch means for said jaw, releasing means for said latch means, and trap setting means extending within said housing to actuate said jaw into the set position.

6. The combination with an animal trap having a plurality of tripping units each including a gripping jaw, latching means for said gripping jaw and trigged releasing means for said latching means to release each of said jaws independently, of setting means for the trap comprising a lever for each unit adapted to move said gripping jaw into the set position, and a single setting member for actuating all of said levers to set all of said units simultaneously.

7. The combination with an animal trap having a plurality of gripping units each including a, gripping jaw, latching means for said gripping jaw and trigger releasing means for said latching means, or" setting means for the trap, comprising an extension on said gripping jaw, and actuating means for said extension to move said gripping jaw into the set position.

8. The combination with an animal trap having a plurality of gripping units each including a gripping jaw, latching means for said gripping jaw, and trigger releasing means for said latching means, of setting means for the trap comprising an extension on said gripping jaw and push button means adapted to engage with said extension to move said jaw into the set position.

JOHN U. LEHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,349,177 Wiemer Aug. 10, 1920 1,967,179 Schocke July 1'7, 1934 2,059,937 Ellis Nov. 3, 1936 2,157,222 Stilson et a1 May 9, 1939 2,233,628 Meik et a1. Mar. 4, 1941 

